


a difference of opinion

by thegoldenkittenking (empty_cup_and_a_chipped_heart)



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Date, Fluff, Nonsense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 10:38:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11919147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empty_cup_and_a_chipped_heart/pseuds/thegoldenkittenking
Summary: Carol and Daryl have differing opinions on what a first date should be.





	a difference of opinion

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Ninelives had a challenge this month which was to imagine Carol and Daryl's first date. This is 90% nonsense and ten percent fluff. I hope you like reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

“Brought sandwiches.”

Carol looks behind her as Daryl climbs up the ladder to the guard post, canvas bag in hand. 

“You’re a doll.”

Daryl snorts and hands the bag to her and stands next to her. Carol pulls out two sandwiches and hands one over to him. She takes a giant bite of hers and moans.

“Holy shit that’s good. Did you make these?”

“Yep. Can’t cook for shit but I make a mean sandwich.” 

Carol hums in agreement as she finishes off her sandwich. Licks her fingers clean and looks up at Daryl. He’s watching her lips and when he catches her eyes, the tips of his ears turn red. She blushes faintly in return. 

They may have been friends for years, but what they have is still so new. Daryl kissed her the night before-- tender and clumsy and everything she ever wanted. Made her hungry for more, but neither are quite ready to go further. So it’s chaste kisses and hands firmly on one another’s waist. Maybe wound in each other’s hair if they're feeling particularly adventurous. 

She’s having more fun like this then she ever felt with her tumultuous relationship with Ed.

“I spy with my little eye…” Carol starts.

“Don’t,” Daryl mutters under his breath.

“Something gray,” she finishes, grinning widely at Daryl. 

“Fuck’s sake. Is it the walker?” He gestures down at the one below them, trying desperately to get off of the stake it’s stuck through.

“You’re not even trying,” Carol pouts. Most of Daryl’s frustration at this game is fake, but there’s a vein of it that’s very real. 

“Fine.” Daryl sighs. “Is it the car the walker’s stuck to?” 

“Yep! You’re turn.” 

“I spy somethin’ gray.”

“You can’t do that.”

“I can,” Daryl says stubbornly. 

“No. You have to pick something new.’

He grumbles but finally picks a new object that’s red. As soon as she figures out it’s the rusted gate-- which distracts them with a ten minute argument if rust is red or brown-- she moves onto something blue. Daryl’s first answer is her eyes, which gets a laugh from her. She’s a little pleased. 

They both have the slightest competitive streak, enough to make the game last much longer than it should, and prompting them to come up with more and more obscure colors.

“The fuck is smaragdine?”

She’s smirking. “I won.”

“Nuh-uh. All ya gotta do is tell me what the color is.”

“Nope. That’s against the rules.”

“What rules? Yer makin’ this shit up as ya go along.”

“Mmmmm… no.”

“Yeah ya are. Or do ya gotta rulebook somewhere?”

Carol’s trying to stifle a laugh. “Call it a tie?”

“Gonna get ya next Peletier.”

“I don’t think so Dixon.”

Rosita climbs up the ladder, ready to relieve Carol of her post. Carol links her arm through his as they walk back to their house. 

“I had fun. It was a good date,” she says, half-teasing. It probably wasn’t supposed to be anything but lunch, but it’s the closest thing to one these days. No more movies or restaurants. 

“This ain’t a date. We ate sandwiches and made sure no one tried to fuckin’ shoot us.” 

He’s angry and Carol isn’t sure why. As far as dates go, this was by far one of the better ones she’s had. Ed never really gave a shit and only did the bare minimum to keep her around. Carol’d been so flattered a man was actually interested that she let it go. 

But spending the afternoon with her best friend, eating sandwiches, and playing a stupid little game is a thousand times better than any restaurant Ed dragged her to. 

Daryl apologizes for his outburst but he’s quiet and a little distant for the rest of the evening. At first she’s afraid it’s something she’s done, but he’s more than happy to engage her in  
***  
Daryl can do better than fucking sandwiches during watch duty. Fuck, that’s just a regular old Sunday. He’s not great with the whole dating thing though. Realizes he might have to suck it up and actually ask for help.

He’d rather get eaten by a walker.

He dithers for a week before he let’s go of his pride and asks Aaron for help. He’s the least likely to judge out of anyone Daryl could ask and won’t laugh at him, thank fuck. Actually, Aaron’s probably gonna be overly helpful.

Daryl brings it up when they’re on a short run together, only supposed to be gone most of the day instead of a few. 

“I was wonderin’ if you could help me with somethin’,” Daryl says as the wander through the forest. He half-heartedly swipes at some over-long grass with his bow, refusing to make eye contact with Aaron.

“Sure! What is it?” Aaron asks.

Daryl takes a deep breath and steels himself. “Carol and I are… together. Kinda wanna put together a date for. Somethin’ romantic. I ain’t good at this shit.”

“I can help some, but really this is something that you should both like, y’know? Like you won’t want to do something neither of you like.”

Daryl’s staring at him.

“I’ll help you plan it.”  
***  
The date Daryl’s tried to plan has gotten too involved. Half of Alexandria knows about it and has offered their help and expertise. Carol’s been gone for most of the planning, playing ambassador to the Kingdom, and now it’s turned into a surprise date. Michonne and Tara have taken up the responsibility of dressing Carol and directing her accordingly. Aaron and Eric have planned the actual date-- a candlelit dinner held in their house-- and are micromanaging every aspect. Even Jesus got in on the plan. When Daryl-- annoyed-- asked him why, Jesus simply shrugged and said he was bored. 

They need some more fuckin’ entertainment in their lives. Maybe they need to start a game night or somethin’. 

Every passing moment leads him to agree with Carol. Maybe having sandwiches and making sure they don’t get shot up is a good date. It was, at least, a thousand times less stressful than this. 

Finally, the day dawns upon them. Carol’s due back from the Kingdom today, and then their date is this evening. Daryl feels like he’s either gonna puke or have a heart attack. 

This truly was a terrible idea. 

Everyone keeps giving him encouraging smiles or well-meaning words, but all they do is raise his blood pressure to near dangerous levels. He’s so fucking nervous. 

He disappears into the woods for a few hours, trying to clear his mind. All he gets out of it is sweaty and and dirty, covered in the viscous blood from walkers and dirt.

Rick-- who’s been given the job of bartender once Aaron and Michonne found out he had a small stint as a bartender before joining the academy-- gives Daryl a disapproving look when walks into the house.

“You’re gonna--”

“Yeah I’m gonna take a damn shower. Jesus.” Daryl huffs and walks up the stairs.  
***  
His hair is still damp from his shower and he smells like fucking sugar cookies. Used the body wash Carol hordes, knowing how much she likes the smell of vanilla. 

He pulls on the dark jeans and dark grey button up Michonne left on his bed. Tries to leave the sleeves long, but they make him uncomfortable and antsy so he ends up rolling them to his elbows. 

He walks to the dining room to find it completely transformed. They large, six person table has been removed and replaced with a smaller, more intimate round table. Candles grace every surface-- it’s a fuckin’ fire hazard-- and the lighting has achieved maximum romantic ambiance.  
Daryl thought having everything set up would make him feel better. It didn’t. His heart is racing and his palms are sweaty and he’s gonna throw up any minute. Sets to pacing the room to try and calm his nerves-- why the fuck did he think this was a good idea-- as Rick and the others watch him piteously. 

Carol’s desperately trying to stifle a smile when she’s ushered into the dining room. Tara and Michonne know what they’re doing. Dressed in a knee length, wine-red dress with a plunging neckline, she’s gorgeous. 

He stares at her open-mouthed, while Tara leans down and whispers something in Carol’s ear. It brings a blush to her cheeks and she laughs softly. 

Daryl’s standing there like an idiot and scrambles last minute to pull out the chair for her.

“You look... “ He pauses, searching for the right word. “Great.” He finishes lamely. Great doesn’t even begin to describe how fucking beautiful she is. 

“Thank you. You smell very good.”

Jesus comes by then bringing them menus and introducing himself as Paul. He fucks off to grab them water and Carol breaks the silence.  
“A waiter and menus? You’re spoiling me.” Her voice is light and teasing and is more comfortable in this situation than he ever could be. 

Daryl rolls his eyes. “Used to work at one of those fancy-ass restaurants. Takin’s his job too fuckin’ seriously if ya ask me.”

Carol snorts and turns back to the menu. Daryl looks it over, feeling slightly ridiculous. He’s never done this, even before the Turn. Never the type to sit down at a restaurant with a woman he likes. He’s not sure what to do. Fears an awkward and stilted dinner.  
***  
The wine has relaxed them both. Carol never drank much before and now she’s an absolute lightweight. Half a glass has made her giggly and pleasantly tingly. Daryl’s relaxed too, enough  
to hold up a conversation with her.

She was unsure of this idea at first, seemed self-indulgent and a waste of resources, but she’s having so much fucking fun. Daryl’s put work into this, into wanting her to have fun and to show that he cares, more so than Ed ever did. This is by far the best date she’s ever had. Or second  
best. Carol still considers their lunch on the guardpost to by their first and best. 

Carol’s scraping the last of her chocolate mousse off the sides of the glass when Daryl speaks. 

“You uh, wanna go on a walk?”

“That sounds wonderful.” Even if the alcohol has removed some of his inhibitions, Carol can tell he’s still anxious about this entire situation. Daryl shouldn’t be, he’s wooed her completely.  
Daryl stands at the same time she does, and she takes his arm and leads her out the door. She links their arms together as they walk down the stairs and into the night.

Carol squeezes Daryl’s arm. “This was wonderful. Very romantic.”

“Wasn’t suppose’ta be so… involved. Just wanted a quiet dinner with ya. Weren’t supposed to be so many people either.”

“They’re bored. Not much to do these days.” 

“Still…” Daryl grumbles.

They walk arm in arm through the streets of Alexandria. It’s a balmy night and she’s comfortable even in her sleeveless dress. Daryl leads her to the gazebo, and they sit side-by-side on the bench. Carol leans into his side, resting her head on his shoulder. 

Daryl presses a kiss against her head and rests his atop of hers.

“You sold me. On your version of a first date.” 

Daryl lifts his head up and looks at her very seriously. “Ya liked it?”

“Very much.” 

“Liked yers too.” 

Carol smiles at him. “Then let’s do both.” 

Daryl presses a soft kiss against her lips. “Sounds good ta me.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
